Firestone Walker Brewing CompanyBravo (Barrel-Aged Imperial Brown Ale) (2017)American Brown AleCalifornia13.2%12oz, Single$8.99A strong pour barely creates a light tan froth across the surface, gone quickly, likewise no real lacing. The liquid is an orange rust tinged brown, bright but there's some much particulate floating inside you are kind of shocked it didn't gunk up the bottle neck coming out. Smooth nose of caramel, toffee and milk chocolate, the oak toast is present without making boozy, golden raisin and fig fruit scents, witch hazel, leaves an impression that aging has mellowed it. In the mouth it's medium-bodied and here the lack of volume lets the booziness take over. Nutty with oak char and a pervasive sourness, recalls the sort of dill notes you get from American oak. Some apple to pear but stays in the fig, date, raisin range. Takes on a bitter dark roast coffee edge towards the finish. Given how high octane it is you can consider it balanced, yet what it does lack is a kind of jazz ensemble interplay, there's just a relentless sameness about it. Leaves this imbiber thinking that a year of aging was maybe not the best decision.3 out of 5